Not your average summer camp

Children are inquisitive creatures. It's always “Why? Whhyyy? But whhhhhhyyyyy?” And it's no surprise. There is so much to take in, so much to learn, so much wonderment.

See how a prisoner of war camp hut might have looked, hear the sounds prisoners would have heard during captivity, and even smell what living in a prisoner of war camp hut might have been like.

Feed their minds this summer by popping along to Captured: The Extraordinary Life of Prisoners of War at the Imperial War Museum North. With a wealth of interactive information this exhibition further cements the museum as one of the most popular visitor attractions in the North West.

Once there, you and your brood will find an insightful look at the experiences of prisoners of war in Europe and the Far East through interactive displays and family-friendly events and activities. The exhibition uncovers the truth behind the stories that have since become legends such as The Great Escape, The Colditz Story and The Bridge on the River Kwai. With a mixture of objects, art, documents, photographs and sound, expect personal stories from captivity plus an amazing five metre replica Colditz glider, created from actual plans and suspended over the exhibition.

You can pick up a prisoner of war 'identity card' and follow six individuals’ stories within the gallery, stamping the card when their tale is revealed. You can also pick up a gallery pack from the Information Desk containing a variety of items that will help you and your family explore the exhibition in more detail.

Hands-on displays throughout the exhibition will allow children and adults alike to discover the realities of camp rules and regulations. See how a prisoner of war camp hut might have looked, hear the sounds prisoners would have heard during captivity, and even smell what living in a prisoner of war camp hut might have been like. Crawl through an escape tunnel and discover hidden objects inside, or try on disguises to find out what prisoners might have worn to fool their captors. You can also find out about prisoner slang and try to escape from a camp in a special Escapes and Ladders game.

What a Performance, special drama monologues and musical performances will run throughout the duration of the exhibition with extra performances over the summer holidays. Find out about Connie’s experiences in Changi internment camp, hear about one prisoner and his attempted escape from a German POW camp or be entertained by lively renditions of 1940s songs performed on the banjo ukulele. See www.iwm.org.uk/north for dates and times.

Craft activities for summer focus on the theme of surviving boredom and include sessions on making appliqué patches (29 July, 12.45pm, 1.45pm, 2.45pm) and decorating a canvas pencil case ready for the return to school (5, 12, 19 and 26 August, 12.45pm, 1.45pm, 2.45pm).

There are also drop-in craft activities in the Learning Studio every Friday and Saturday from 18 July until 29 August, and lively HotSpot activities using craft and handling objects taking place every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 20 July to 27 August.

The Extraordinary Life of Prisoners of War exhibition is open until 3 January 2010. For more information visit www.iwm.org.uk